November 19, 2012 9:40pm ESTNovember 19, 2012 8:22pm ESTDavid Beckham does not plan to end his relationship with MLS, but the 37-year-old midfielder's association with the LA Galaxy has come to an end. He points to the upcoming MLS Cup final as his last game with the club.

Announcing that he “wanted to experience one last challenge before the end of my playing career,” David Beckham revealed Monday evening that the upcoming MLS Cup final would be his last game with the LA Galaxy.

Beckham, 37, didn’t detail his plans beyond the Dec. 1 title match but said he did not consider his impending departure “the end of my relationship with the league.” When Beckham signed with MLS and the Galaxy in early 2007, he negotiated an option to buy into MLS as an investor following his retirement as a player. He said Monday that his “ambition is to be part of the ownership structure in the future."

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Beckham’s original five-year deal, which paid him $6.5 million per season, concluded at the end of the 2011 season as LA claimed its third MLS championship. Despite a more lucrative offer from wealthy French club Paris Saint-Germain, Beckham opted to remain in Southern California and inked a new two-year deal with the Galaxy that paid him $4 million this season.

“I had many offers from clubs from around the world, however, I'm still passionate about playing in America and winning trophies with the Galaxy,” he said in January. “I've seen first hand how popular soccer is now in the States and I'm as committed as ever to growing the game here. My family and I are incredibly happy and settled in America and we look forward to spending many more years here."

Last week, officials affiliated with Australia’s A-League said Beckham was considering a short-term contract there, but the player denied those reports.

Although Beckham’s MLS sojourn featured its share of controversy—he faced criticism and questions concerning his commitment to the Galaxy on the heels of two extended loans to AC Milan, a subsequent injury and frequent trips overseas—his six-year stay will be remembered as a massive success. The English icon’s arrival catapulted MLS to unprecedented visibility in the U.S. and around the world, and after a rough beginning, the results on the field eventually came. LA will play in its third MLS Cup final in four years when it hosts the Houston Dynamo on Dec. 1 and won the Supporters Shield, emblematic of the league’s best regular season record, in ’10 and ’11.

Beckham was named to MLS’ Best 11 in 2011 and tallied 18 goals and 40 assists in 91 regular season games. He added eight helpers in 16 playoff games, including five during the run to the ’11 championship. His willingness to defend and do the unglamorous work in midfield won the respect of his teammates and those fans and pundits who initially may have doubted his motives. The positives eventually overshadowed the fact that he played in only 56 percent of LA’s regular season games following his ‘07 introduction.

“When David Beckham signed with the LA Galaxy in 2007, he set out to help grow MLS and the sport of soccer in North America,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said. “There is no doubt that MLS is far more popular and important here and abroad than it was when he arrived. David has achieved great things on and off the field during his time with the Galaxy, and he will always be an important part of our history. We look forward to his continued involvement with the LA Galaxy and the league.”

There was no indication on Monday where Beckham might play next. His wife, Victoria, and their four children are thought to be happy in Los Angeles, and Beckham is old for a top-class professional. But his seven goals (his most in an MLS season) and 10 assists in 29 games this year demonstrate that there’s still some mileage left in his legs.

He will play for his ninth domestic league championship in two weeks, having won six English Premier League titles with Manchester United and one La Liga crown with Real Madrid.

"In my time here I have seen the popularity of the game grow every year,” he said. “I've been fortunate to win trophies, but more important to me has been the fantastic reception I've had from fans in LA and across the States. Soccer's potential has no limits in this wonderful country and I want to always be part of growing it."